Device and method for handling objects, in particular items of luggage

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and to a method for handling objects, in particular items of luggage. The device has a supporting arm that is freely moveable in at least two axes and that is articulated on a central unit which is positioned at the end of a conveyor belt for conveying objects. The movement of the supporting arm is controlled in a predeterminable manner and a loading device is configured at the free end of the supporting arm. The loading device has a supporting platform for picking up objects and has a rear and a side boundary against which the object that has been picked up in each case rests. The device includes an unloading device which removes the object that has been picked up from the supporting platform.

We claim:  
     
       1. A device for handling objects conveyed to an end of a conveying track, the device comprising: 
       a central unit for positioning at an end of a conveying track that conveys an object;  
       a supporting arm that is articulated on said central unit for a controlled movement about at least two axes in a predetermined manner, said supporting arm having a free end;  
       a loading device configured at said free end of the supporting arm, said loading device having a supporting platform for picking up the object, said loading device having a side boundary and a rear boundary against which the picked-up object rests; and  
       an unloading device for removing the picked-up object from said supporting platform.  
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , in combination with the conveying track, wherein the conveying track is a conveyor belt. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting platform has a flat surface that is slanted towards said supporting arm so that the picked-up object rests against said rear boundary in response to a force of gravity. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 3 , wherein said supporting platform has a right side and a left side and said side boundary is located on a side selected from the group consisting of said right side and said left side. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting platform is slanted towards said supporting arm by substantially 15°. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting platform has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting platform has a right side and a left side and said side boundary is located on a side selected from the group consisting of said right side and said left side. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 7 , comprising: 
       a collapsible left-side boundary strip located on said left side and defined by said side boundary;  
       a collapsible right-side boundary strip located on said right side; and  
       a boundary selected from the group consisting of said left-side boundary strip and said right-side boundary strip being in an upward position while another boundary selected from the group consisting of said left-side boundary strip and said right-side boundary strip being in downward position.  
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 7 , wherein said side boundary is formed by a collapsible strip. 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 7 , comprising: 
       a collapsible left-side boundary located on said left side and defined by said side boundary;  
       a collapsible right-side boundary located on said right side; and  
       a boundary selected from the group consisting of said left-side boundary and said right-side boundary being in an upward position while another boundary selected from the group consisting of said left-side boundary and said right-side boundary being in a downward position.  
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said boundary that is in the downward position is recessed in said supporting platform. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said boundary that is in the downward position is folded downward laterally. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said supporting platform has a lower side and said boundary that is in the downward position is folded downward to bear against said lower side of said supporting platform. 
     
     
       14. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting arm supports said side boundary at a lower position than that of the object to be picked-up. 
     
     
       15. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said unloading device is configured on said supporting platform. 
     
     
       16. The device according to  claim 15 , wherein said unloading device is constructed for movement in coordination with the movement of said supporting arm. 
     
     
       17. The device according to  claim 15 , wherein said supporting arm and said supporting platform recede a distance that is proportional to an amount that the picked-up object has been removed by said unloading device such that the picked-up object is substantially stationary relative to a depositing point when removal of the picked-up object is initiated. 
     
     
       18. The device according to  claim 15 , wherein said unloading device is constructed to operate in a contact-free manner. 
     
     
       19. The device according to  claim 15 , wherein said unloading device operates pneumatically for removing the picked-up object from said supporting platform. 
     
     
       20. The device according to  claim 15 , wherein said unloading device is constructed to push the picked-up object down from said supporting platform. 
     
     
       21. The device according to  claim 20 , wherein said unloading device is constructed for movement in coordination with the movement of said supporting arm. 
     
     
       22. The device according to  claim 20 , wherein said supporting arm and said supporting platform recede a distance that is proportional to an amount that the picked-up object has been removed by said unloading device such that the picked-up object is substantially stationary relative to a depositing point when removal of the picked-up object is initiated. 
     
     
       23. The device according to  claim 20 , wherein said unloading device is constructed to operate in a contact-free manner. 
     
     
       24. The device according to  claim 20 , wherein said unloading device operates with compressed air for removing the picked-up object from said supporting platform. 
     
     
       25. The device according to  claim 1 , in combination with the object, wherein the object is a luggage item. 
     
     
       26. A method for picking up an object, which comprises: 
       using said supporting arm of the device according to  claim 1  to position said supporting platform on the conveying track so that the object is conveyed from the conveying track onto said supporting platform as far as said rear boundary and said side boundary;  
       using said supporting arm to move said supporting platform to a depositing point; and  
       using said unloading device to deposit the object at the depositing point.  
     
     
       27. The method according to  claim 26 , which comprises providing a luggage item as the object. 
     
     
       28. The method according to  claim 26 , which comprises pulling back said supporting arm to move said supporting platform a distance that is proportional to an amount that the picked-up object has been removed from said supporting platform by said unloading device so that the object remains substantially in place and is not substantially moved relative to the depositing point. 
     
     
       29. The method according to  claim 28 , which comprises using a container as the depositing point.